GILES HENDERSON WANNAN, Chamber Music for Flute Viola & Harp – Sydney
About this Event
Tickets
Available at our box office or directly from the venue's website:
https://www.contraconcerts.com.au/sydney
About this concert
Harpist Alice Giles, flautist Jonathan Henderson and violist James Wannan join forces to present a programme centred around French music and contemporary living composers. Together, these three artists bring extensive international experience as soloists, chamber musicians and orchestral performers.
The sonority of the flute, drawn from the human breath, the sombre timbre of the viola’s bow across its strings, and the resonant vibrations of the harp combine to create a unique sound world that is both fragile and richly expressive.
French influence lies at the heart of the programme, whether directly through Debussy’s visionarySonataand his evocativeSyrinx, Fauré’s luminousImpromptu, or more distantly through the impressionistic language underlying Bax's deeply expressiveElegiac Trio. Alongside these works are two contemporary voices: the French composer Bruno Mantovani and Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin.
As the concert unfolds, each musician breaks away as a soloist, giving audiences the opportunity to revel in the individual artistry of the performers. Just as the composer moulds silence between phrases to become as expressive as melody itself, the performers draw out the essence of the music, painting sounds upon a canvas with their instruments – each note tracing the air like incense.
Thanks to the close proximity of audience and performers, every expressive nuance feels personal, each phrase so vivid it seems almost within reach. The music becomes an intimate language, with remarkable ability to activate the imagination, recall our faintest memories and enliven our senses.
To attend a Contra Concert permits you an hour to switch off, recharge and disconnect from deadline mode. We invite you to rebel against your smartphone and dare to get nothing done! Sit back, let your mind wander and share in the rare exchange of music between performers and audience, only achievable in the intimacy of the chamber music salon.
The Concert Hall bar will be open from 6.30pm, one hour before the performance. We invite you to arrive early, enjoy a drink and settle into the evening before the music begins.
Programme
ARNOLD BAX
Elegiac Trio for flute, viola and harp
CLAUDE DEBUSSY
Syrinx for solo flute
GABRIEL FAURÉ
Impromptu for solo harp
ELENA KATS-CHERNIN
Winter from Seasons for flute, viola and harp
BRUNO MANTOVANI
Little Italy for solo viola
CLAUDE DEBUSSY
Sonata for flute, viola and harp
Artists
ALICE GILES AM, harp
First Prize winner of the 8th Israel International Harp Contest, Alice Giles has had a wide-ranging career, with solo recitals from London’s Wigmore Hall, New York Merkin and 92nd St Y, Frankfurt Alte Oper, to Mawson Station, Antarctica. Her solo debut was hailed by the New York Times as "An exciting solo concert. Miss Giles has a fluent technique, a prismatic sense of tonal color and shows a keen awareness of musical structure". She has appeared as guest artist at international chamber music festivals from Marlboro Music to Schleswig Holstein, and as concerto soloist in Asia, Europe, USA, and with all the major Australian orchestras. Lecturer at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Alice has given Master Classes worldwide and is creator of an online harp teaching resource. She was Artistic Director of the World Harp Congress Sydney 2014 and will take on the position of Chair of the WHC in 2026. Alice has commissioned and performed many new works for her instrument. Luciano Berio called her "The most intelligent, sensitive and technically accomplished harpist I have ever met". Alice is regularly invited to sit on the jury of international harp competitions. She founded the Harp Centre Australia, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the harp in Australia. Her extensive discography and more information can be found atwww.alicegiles.com
JONATHAN HENDERSON, flute & Artistic Director
Recognised for his dynamic performances and technical mastery, Jonathan Henderson is an Australian flautist with a multifaceted career spanning Australia and the Nordic countries. He has been engaged as concerto soloist, orchestra principal, chamber music collaborator and recitalist across both regions, appearing at major international festivals including the BBC Proms and Lucerne Festival. His playing has been described by critics as “sublime” (Limelight Magazine), showcasing a “rich range of flute timbres” (The Creative Issue) and “a level of virtuoso control rarely heard” (The Music Trust). After completing his early musical training at the Queensland Conservatorium with Gerhard Mallon and privately with Sally Walker, he pursued further studies in Germany with Felix Renggli at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg and in Switzerland with Jacques Zoon at the Haute École de Musique Genève. Masterclasses with Andrea Lieberknecht, Renate Greiss-Armin and Emily Beynon were an important influence on his studies. His professional career began in 2012 when he was appointed Principal Flute of the Estonian National Opera Orchestra, a position he held until 2019. During this time, he also worked extensively in Finland as Guest Principal Flute with the Turku Philharmonic and Tampere Philharmonic orchestras and performed with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Nordic Symphony Orchestra and Estonian Festival Orchestra. In Australia, Jonathan has performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian World Orchestra and Queensland Symphony Orchestra, appearing as Guest Principal Flute with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Opera Australia Orchestra, as well as Guest Associate Principal Flute with Orchestra Victoria. A dedicated chamber musician, Jonathan is the founder and Artistic Director of Contra Concerts and a former member of the Southern Cross Soloists. As a guest artist, he has appeared at festivals including the Tallinn Chamber Music Festival, Festival Archipel Switzerland, Sydney Festival, Brisbane Music Festival, Orange Chamber Music Festival, Bangalow Music Festival, Musica Viva Tasmania, Melbourne Recital Centre, Phoenix Central Park and the Australian Flute Festival.
JAMES WANNAN, viola
Violist James Wannan is a member of Southern Cross Soloists, and an Artistic Associate of Sydney Chamber Opera. He currently teaches chamber music and viola at the Sydney Conservatorium’s Rising Stars program. He studied viola with Alice Waten and Caroline Henbest in Melbourne; Janet Davies in Sydney; and viola d’amore in Vienna with Marianne Rônez. He explores his passion for music from ancient to contemporary on a number of instruments. James enjoys exploring the possibilities of other instruments: in the Melbourne Festival he performed the violin solo in Elliott Gyger's opera 'Fly Away Peter' and at the Sydney Festival he played the Oud solos in Dusapin's opera 'Passion'. He has worked, for many years, with Winsome Evan in the Renaissance Players, specialising in the vielle and rebec. As a viola d'amore soloist he has championed the full diversity of its repertoire from Ariosti to Haas with a special passion for Hindemith's concerto. He has influenced many new works, including a concerto for viola d’amore and percussion by Jack Symonds that was premiered at the Bendigo Festival of Experimental Music and he inspired the onstage viola d'amore solos in the opera 'Notes From Underground'. He collaborated intensely with Mary Finsterer in her work ‘Ignis’, this piece went on to win APRA’s best instrumental work of the year. James has appeared as a soloist with many of Australia’s orchestras including the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Reviews
"A new chamber music series offers an intelligent, beautifully played program in a glorious heritage venue."
Limelight Magazine ★★★★1/2
"The pacing of the concert was pleasantly unhurried, and in the close setting it was easy to become lost in the music."
Backstreet Brisbane
"Three excellent musicians. A challenging choice of music. And the hope that we will hear more from all three."
Weekend Notes
"A delight to watch and listen to, and the bonus is that they mingle with the audience at the end of the show. What a wonderful way to experience beloved pieces and also less familiar ones."
Stage Door
"This elegant one-hour salon programme was perfect for a cool Friday night and a great way to shake off the working week to focus instead on beautiful music."
Stage Whispers
FAQs
Accessibility information
Contra Concerts is committed to make all our events accessible and as inclusive as possible. For the best concert experience, we encourage visitors to advise of any accessibility requirements at time of booking. We will do our best to accommodate any individual needs.
Seating
For Contra Concerts events at the Independent Theatre we are able to provide accessible spaces for seating such as a wheelchair which are located in the front row of the auditorium. Please notify us in advance if you require accessible seating.
Mobility
The Independent Theatre has wheelchair access to the Auditorium at street level.
Parking and drop off
Please visit the 'Find accessible parking spaces' page on the North Sydney Council Website to help locate the closest available accessible parking spaces to the venue.
Accessible Toilets
Accessible bathroom facilities are available at the Independent Theatre.
Companion Card
Contra Concerts provides Companion Card holders with a second ticket for their chosen companion at no cost, ensuring that people who are unable to attend venues and events without a companion to provide high-level attendant care support are not charged two admission fees. The cardholder must provide their Companion Card details when making a booking and will be granted entry upon presenting a valid ID card at the Box Office 45 minutes prior to the event.
Our Supporters
This program is presented with thanks to our supporters for their generous contributions. We are deeply grateful to the music advocates who recognise the value of independent, artist-led initiatives such as Contra Concerts and who understand the importance of enabling musicians to create and share their own artistic projects. If you would like to play a role in bringing our future performances to life, tax-deductible donations can be made here.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
